Problems with the understanding of projects

07-11-2009, 09:52 AM

Hello Kelly,
Hello Everybody,

i just started with GTD a while ago and since i have some experience with all the time management techniques i have a few "understanding problems" which lead to some kind of uncertainty in practiseing the method regulary.

I know the difference between "Area of focus" and "projects" and if i understand David´s philosophy right, everythin that needs to have more then one step in doing is a project. So from my understanding a projects list, is a list where al the activities (next steps) of a project are collected. Kind of a brainstorming. But when i go through my projects lists i always end up with specify the single steps as good as possible, so that my projects lists end up to be a specific list of next steps in which each step leads to the next one till the end.

My problem now is: Why do i have to copy these steps again from the project list to the main "next step"-list, specially if i use a tool like Omnifocus?

And when ever i try to see the project lists as kind of a brain dump for all actions related with the projects and try to just dump the steps in and not sort it i feel kind of "incomplete". So i get stucked here.

Well Kelly I hope i could explain my "problem" a bit better here with more then 140 characters.

So from my understanding a projects list, is a list where al the activities (next steps) of a project are collected. Kind of a brainstorming. But when i go through my projects lists i always end up with specify the single steps as good as possible, so that my projects lists end up to be a specific list of next steps in which each step leads to the next one till the end.

My problem now is: Why do i have to copy these steps again from the project list to the main "next step"-list, specially if i use a tool like Omnifocus?

I define the project list differently. The project list is just a simple list of the projects, it does not contain any of the steps that you take to do them or finish them.

The Project support materials may but do not have to contain any of those steps.

I also use Omnifocus. My project list is just the top level list of all the various projects I am working on.

My actions are the stuff under the projects.

A few have reference files either attached if electronic or reference via OF notes on the project if they are paper. That is where project planning goes.

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